Santa Cruz County Beach Tragedy Kills 2 College Student Swimmers
Two college student swimmers died after being swept into the ocean in Santa Cruz County last week, including Mahial Sran, a 20-year-old San Jose State University student. Harshita Nair, who attended UC Berkeley, also died after rescue swimmers brought both students back to shore.
The incident drew eight rescue swimmers into the water, Santa Cruz County Fire Capt. Kyle Breton said, and a Beach Hazard Statement remained in effect. Breton said the stretch of coast where the students were pulled in has seen five rescues in the past month within a one-mile stretch, compared with about six to eight ocean rescues a year.
Santa Cruz County Coast Rescue
Breton said crews put eight rescue swimmers in the water and had people on the banks helping point out where the students were. Rescue swimmers brought Sran and Nair to shore, but both later died.
Breton said changing tide conditions may have contributed to the incident. He said the keyhole between Panther and Yellow Bank Beach becomes inaccessible when the tide comes in or gets high, and people can get cut off quickly after going through it.
Mahial Sran and Harshita Nair
Sran's father said Monday night that her bag and phone never got wet. He said he believed the students were near the water and then struck by a wave, which differed from early reports that suggested they may have been sleeping along the beach when they were pulled into the water.
Nair was remembered by UC Berkeley Student Body President Abigail Verino, who said, “She was such an incredible person, and she always made the effort to show up, and I would say she is someone that embodies what it means to be part of a community larger than yourself.” Verino also said Nair's internship work focused on marginalized communities of color.
Panther and Yellow Bank Beach
Breton said, “Within a one-mile stretch of beach here, we've run five rescues in the past month. And comparatively, we run about six to eight ocean rescues a year along this section of beach.” Authorities urged caution along the coast as the Beach Hazard Statement stayed in place.
For people heading to this part of Santa Cruz County, the immediate step is to treat the tide line and access points as changing conditions, especially near the keyhole between Panther and Yellow Bank Beach. Breton's account shows the risk is not limited to one moment of the day; it can change fast when the tide comes in.
